Thierry Henry not traveling with Red Bulls to Columbus, missing match with strained left hamstring

Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry tries to play through a strained hamstring he suffers early against the Sounders, but Henry recognizes he is not full strength and will sit out Saturday. (Antonelli/News)

The number of Thierry Henry's injuries matches his career goal total with Red Bulls. The Red Bulls striker said Thursday that he'll miss Saturday's game against the Columbus Crew with a strained left hamstring, further depleting a roster that is without five other starters because of international duty.

Henry hasn't practiced all week and won't travel with the team to Columbus, meaning he won't add to his two career goals until at least April 2 against the Houston Dynamo.

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Henry was injured eight minutes into Saturday's season-opening victory over the Seattle Sounders. He continued to play - and missed a penalty kick - before realizing that pushing himself was a mistake.

Henry, 33, missed several games last season - including most of the playoff series against San Jose - because of a knee injury. He has played in 12 of 19 games since signing a 4-1/2-year deal last summer.

Asked if age was becoming a concern, Henry turned sensitive. "That is a stupid question," he said.

He also insinuated that the Red Bulls fitness staff was responsible for a rash of hamstring injuries.

"We've been having eight or nine hamstring (injuries) in three weeks. So clearly something's happening. I don't know (what's happening). I'm not the fitness coach. We've been doing what we've been told."

Coach Hans Backe acknowledged the problem. "Five or six (players) have had tight hamstrings. so we have to check that, definitely," he said. "I have to sit down and figure out why we have that."